St. Patrick’s Day GREEN means GO!!!

Throughout the month of March, St. Patrick’s Day decorations can remind our families to pray for Christian missionaries and to highlight the need for sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.  St. Patrick’s Day GREEN can remind us that we’re all called to GO!

Encouraging Missions Throughout the Year - MARCH

St. Patrick’s Day

To many people, St. Patrick’s Day is nothing more than a holiday to commemorate the traditions of Ireland. People wear “Irish” green; stores decorate with shamrocks, leprechauns, and rainbows; and restaurants feature meals of corned beef, cabbage and potatoes . . . or green-colored mint milkshakes.

To others, March 17th is a day to gratify the flesh: to guzzle beer, or to glorify sinful lifestyles through disgraceful city-wide parades and demonstrations. How far we have come from the real story Saint Patrick and his early missionary sacrifices to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people Ireland. Today, more than ever, our world desperately needs the Lord, and the message that Patrick preached.

During the month of March, let’s remember the missionary story of St. Patrick. And let’s use all the GREEN decorations as a constant reminder, wherever we see them (in stores, restaurants, etc.), that we’re all called to GO with God’s GOOD NEWS!

Quick Facts:

St. Patrick’s Day - MARCH 17th

Patrick was the first Christian missionary to Ireland. In the United States, celebrations include city parades, Irish cultural celebrations, and the wearing of green.

Who was Saint Patrick?

“Saint” Patrick (389 – 461 AD) actually went to Ireland twice – first as a slave, and later as a missionary. Born in Britain (in Wales), Patrick is widely known as the first Christian missionary to the Irish people. During his youth (from 16 to 22 years old), he was captured and taken to Ireland. While there, young Patrick repented of his sinful, backslidden condition. Years later, after escaping to his homeland, he received a vision from God calling him to return to the Irish people to proclaim the Gospel of Christ. Patrick obeyed God’s call and went back.

For the remainder of his life, Patrick ministered among the heathen tribes of Ireland – confronting Irish idolatry and sorcery, converting many to Jesus Christ, and baptizing thousands of people. Tradition says he used the three-leaf Irish clover to teach the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

According to historian William Federer, who wrote St. Patrick: The Real History of His Life, From Tragedy to Triumph, “He was actually a missionary and he converted 120,000 druids from paganism to Christianity.” Federer claims that in the fifth century A.D., Patrick did more than perhaps anyone in history to spread Christianity in Europe. Although druids attempted to kill him over a dozen times,  Patrick continued to preach the message of Jesus Christ, and throughout his ministry he pioneered over 300 Christian churches. Patrick also spoke out against slavery, and because of this, some call him the world’s first abolitionist.

Mission-Minded Family Resources:

To learn more about St. Patrick, I recommend Hero Tales - Volume III, by Dave & Neta Jackson (Bethany House Publishers). Along with the short biography summary, St. Patrick: Missionary to Ireland, the Jackson’s include three devotional stories (each with a focus “From God’s Word” and “Let’s Talk About It” discussion questions) to read aloud:

• “Your Ship is Ready” — Trust
• The Fire on the Hill — Boldness
• Blood on the White Robes — Righteous Anger

VeggieTales has a funny “flannel-graph” version of the St. Patrick story, which is surprisingly historically accurate, on the VeggieTales DVD, Sumo of the Opera.

Also, Focus on the Family has a special “Days to Remember” edition of Adventures in Odyssey, with two episodes specifically highlighting the true meaning of St. Patrick’s Day.

Prayer Focus:

Pray for peace in Ireland, especially between Protestants and Catholics. Pray for the true message of salvation to spread throughout Ireland and for missionaries who are sharing the Gospel throughout Ireland today. Remember people in the United States, who are celebrating St. Patrick’s Day by doing evil things, and that these people would hear about the real story or St. Patrick, and the Gospel he preached. Pray also that we would have an obedient heart to go wherever God calls us to go.

NOTE: This article is adapted from the chapter “Enjoying Missions Throughout the Year” from Ann’s newest book, The Mission-Minded Family - Releasing Your Family to God’s Destiny.

What is a mission-minded child?

FOLLOW CAELA’S 1st MISSION TRIP:  March 1 - 11, mission-minded Caela Rose Dunagan (age 12) will be going on her first missionary adventure . . . to UGANDA, E. AFRICA!!! She will be accompanying her mom, Ann Dunagan, to checkup on hundreds of children at Harvest Ministry’s two orphanages (Osanidde Village and Guma Na Yesu Children’s Center) and to minister at a Village Women’s Conference.

Stay tuned for Caela’s personal mission updates on our twitter-feed (or see the side bar right here on this website for recent entries) -#CaelaOnMission.

A mission-minded child may want to become a missionary–or a teacher or a doctor or a newspaper reporter or a state governor or a pastor or a businessperson or an airplane pilot or an author or a florist or a mother–as long as its what God wants.

The following excerpt is a highlight from the introduction of The Mission-Minded Child - Raising a New Generation to Fulfill God’s Purpose (Authentic, 2007). Hope you enjoy it!

So, what is a mission-minded child?

A mission-minded child . . .

• dreams of fulfilling God’s destiny.
• prays for that next-door neighbor.
• A mission-minded child may want to become a missionary–or a teacher or a doctor or a newspaper reporter or a state governor or a pastor or a businessperson or an airplane pilot or an author or a florist or a mother–as long as its what God wants.
• is not a picky eater!
• takes home a photo magnet from the visiting missionary family and puts it on the kitchen refrigerator.
• is healthy, active, and adventurous.
• spends a summer night sleeping outside on the trampoline, gazes up at a sky filled with twinkling stars, and realizes God’s plan is infinitely bigger than his or her own backyard.
• imagines rollerblading on the Great Wall of China!
• recognizes the names of David Livingstone, Amy Carmichael, Hudson Taylor, and Loren Cunningham.
• knows how to use chopsticks.
• has a reputation for thoroughly enjoying the Bible sword drills and memory verse contests at church.
• puts extra money in the monthly missions offering and feels extra good inside.
• thinks it could be fun to sleep in a mud hut in Africa!
• reads all the way through the Bible by the age of ten (or eleven or twelve)–and is excited to start again!
• stares at the photos in the new geography textbook or magazine and imagines climbing to the top of that Egyptian pyramid, snorkeling in those tropical-blue waters, and giving a new outfit to that poor boy with the ripped-up shirt.
• befriends the new kid at school.
• thinks beyond the “box” of what’s merely expected and hopes to do something big, or something little, for God.
• wants to obey (even when no one is looking).
• loves Jesus!

For Christian parents and teachers, “world missions” is not just an extracurricular subject to teach our kids, it’s the core of our curriculum. Let’s raise the next generation to have a passion for God’s Great Commission. As Hudson Taylor (a famous missionary to China) often said, “The Great Commission is not an option to consider, it’s a command to obey.”

And how about adding to our list!!!  How are you raising your children to have God’s heart for the world and His Great Commission, and in your childrens lives (in day-to-day routines and in your “where-the-rubber-meets-the-road” reality) what is it like to be a genuine mission-minded child in your experience?

Now it’s your turn:

A mission-minded child . . .

2010 Magale Mission: NEW VIDEO!!!

God demonstrates His LOVE . . .

Here are some exciting photos and a NEW VIDEO from Harvest Ministry’s recent evangelistic outreach in East Africa to the remote mountain village of MAGALE, Uganda (on the border of Kenya). Over the course of the outreach, over 25,000 people came to hear the preaching of the GOSPEL, and approximately 5,000 people surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ. The city (previously a tribal-religion/witchcraft stronghold) was impacted for GOD’S KINGDOM. Many were touched by the Lord, including a “head witchdoctor” who came forward to repent of his sins and to receive God’s salvation.

To God be the GLORY!!! What a JOY to reap a HARVEST of SOULS!!!

Mission to Magale, Uganda - NEW VIDEO!!!

Rare Solar Eclipse, “Raw” Evangelism, & a Rainbow!

On the first day of the MAGALE MISSION, this area of Uganda experienced a RARE SOLAR ECLIPSE (the news referred to it as a “RING OF FIRE” - and to us it was a “TOKEN” - like Rahab’s Scarlet Cord from Joshua 2:12-21 - emphasizing the BLOOD OF JESUS and God’s saving love, even in the midst of destruction). The mission was truly “RAW & RUGGED EVANGELISM (with rainstorms, witchdoctors trying to curse us, a crazy guy charging through the crowd with a rock, thousands of villagers hearing the Gospel and about 5,000 people surrendering their lives to Jesus Christ!!!) Then, on the final night, right during the preaching, there was a beautiful RAINBOW over the crowd! How AWESOME!!!

God loves the whole world, and even this remote and hidden area of Magale, Uganda!

MORE ABOUT THE ECLIPSE: On the opening day of the Magale Mission Outreach (while the world’s eyes were focused on the devastating aftermath from the earthquake in Haiti) Uganda witnessed a very rare solar eclipse. A red ring around the darkened sun, described by national newspapers as a “Ring of Fire”, was a “token” to us and to the people of Magale, like the “true token” of the Scarlet Cord of Rahab from Joshua 2:12-21, remarkably illustrating God’s provision of salvation for the whole world, only through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, even for the people of this remote and hidden village of Magale, Uganda.

What can wash away my sin? NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS!
What can make me whole again? NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS!
Oh, precious is the flow, that makes me white at snow!
No other ‘fount I know. NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS!

PLEASE KEEP PRAYING FOR MAGALE!

Please continue to keep these people of Magale, Uganda in your prayers. Right now, a qualified national pastor (a friend of our co-worker and NETS minister, Drake Kanaabo) is working hard to establish a new church in this area to help these brand-new believers to grow in their faith and to become fruitful for Christ.

“Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown” (Mark 4:20).

Thanks for your prayers, and for all who helped send us!

To God be the GLORY!

In His Love & Harvest,
Jon & Ann (& all)

P.S. If you would like to join with us in specific prayer and/or mission support to help us to reach the lost with the Good News and Gospel message of Jesus Christ, we would be honored to send you our monthly HARVEST MINISTRY newsletter (for those of you in the US and CANADA). If interested, please CONTACT US with your mailing address!

Osanidde Village Child Sponsorship: Q & A

What a JOY!

It’s our 4 year anniversary since the founding of Osanidde Village!!!

In February of 2006, Harvest Ministry embarked on a new journey of faith and love for orphan children. We have grown so much, and our hearts have expanded. We started with 30 children, and by God’s AMAZING GRACE, Harvest Ministry is now caring for over 600 precious children through two ministries to orphans, and seeking God to raise each child for His MISSION-MINDED purposes. Over these 4 years, we’ve been amazed at God’s daily, monthly, and consistent yearly PROVISION for these children!

God truly cares about these kids, even more than we do . . . and what a joy it is to be a part of something so special to His heart!

God has been, is, and will always be our FAITHFUL PROVIDER.

Could you consider sponsoring a child?

Currently, 15 children at Osanidde Village (one of Harvest Ministry’s two orphanages in Uganda, East Africa) are available for individual child sponsorship, a commitment of $1/day ($30/month or $35 if possible). Every little bit makes a HUGE difference, and the one-on-one love and individual prayer support is powerful!

For more information, including details and photos of the kids now available for sponsorship, please download the following.

(NOTE: this post and the following PDF file will be continually updated and reloaded as each child is selected for one-on-one sponsorship.)

• DOWNLOAD MORE INFORMATION: Osanidde Sponsorship Q & A - (in PDF format - Updated February 19, 2010)

• How to send a PERSONAL LETTER/GIFT to your Osanidde Child - (Download information in PDF format)

• TO CONTACT US . . .

Osanidde Child Sponsorship Update:

Mid-January, 2010 - Children in need of sponsorship: 36

NEW SPONSORS: 21!!!

As of February 19 - Children currently available for sponsorship: 15

Keep these kids in your prayers, and thank you for caring!!! GOD BLESS YOU!

Enjoying WORLD MISSIONS . . . in FEBRUARY

February’s MISSION-MINDED FAMILY holiday focus includes: Valentines Day, Chinese New Year, President’s Day, Black History Month, and Mardi Gras/Carnival. Our emphasis is God’s LOVE for the WORLD, the PASSION of JESUS as He died on the cross for the world, and our need to PRAY for Christians who are being PERSECUTED for their faith.

TEACHING OPPORTUNITY:

Update Your February Calendar: Throughout the year, acknowledging international holidays and using these days as focus-points for prayer, can give our families an insight into our world’s need for Jesus. These vibrant festivities are filled with colorful expression, yet often these traditions are rooted in false religion and fear. Get out your family calendar, and take a moment to write down the names of these holidays on their respective dates.

Throughout the year, you can come back to the chapter, “Enjoying Missions Throughout the Year” in The Mission-Minded Family, to read about each holiday and pray accordingly.

Valentine’s Day

(February 14th) - This holiday, also known as Saint Valentine’s Day, was named after two early Christian martyrs named Valentine and is observed by Western and Western-influenced cultures. In the United States and some other countries, cards and gifts are given to friends, sweethearts, and family members to express love.

• A STARTLING MISSION FACT: From Neal Pirolo’s 1991 book, Serving as Senders - On just one day, February 14, Americans spend over 700 million dollars to say “I love you” with Valentine’s Day cards. Less than that is spent in the whole month of February (and in each of the other months) to tell a lost and dying world that God loves them!
• NEIGHBORHOOD VALENTINE OUTREACH: Encourage your kids to make Valentine’s Day cards to thank the special people in their lives. You could also use these cards as a witnessing tool - to share “Jesus LOVES You!” with unsaved family members, young friends, or adult neighbors who need the Lord.
• HELPFUL LINK: Click here for FREE Valentine’s Day notebook pages.
• PRAYER FOCUS - Voice of the Martyrs & the Persecuted Church: Pray for contemporary Christians who are being persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ. See persecution.org, or read a selection from the great book, Jesus Freaks, by dc Talk. Also, here’s an excellent article about St. Valentine the Martyr from Christian Persecution blog (The Voice of the Martyrs).

Chinese New Year - China

Pray for the nation of China!

(February 14, 2010) - The Chinese New Year is celebrated with family gift giving and celebrations. In China, many people need Jesus, and many Christians suffer persecution.

• Pray for Needs in China: Operation World, Missions Atlas Project.

• Learn about Missionaries to China: Hudson Taylor, Gladys Alyward.

• Fun ideas: Eat a Chinese meal with chopsticks. Translate words into Chinese with an online translator. Watch a classic film about Gladys Alyward, “Inn of the Sixth Happiness” starring Ingrid Bergman. (Although not totally accurate, this film is heartwarming and inspirational).

President’s Day - USA

(3rd Monday of the month - February 15, 2010)

Pray for government leaders and for the president of the United States. A good source for help:

The Presidential Prayer Team

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,  for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,  who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (I Timothy 2:1-4).

Black History Month - February

Did you know? Did you know that the first missionary from America was of African/American descent?  George Liele, a Baptist Minister, left America in 1782 to start a church in Jamaica. This was twenty years before Adoniram & Nancy Judson left from America to Burma.

(And did you know? There’s a GEORGE LEILE “Missionary Monologue” featured in THE MISSION-MINDED CHILD!!!)

• George Liele - America’s First Missionary (The Traveling Team)
• Regions Beyond - Pioneer Black Baptist History
• Black History Month - Christian Missionaries

Mardi Gras - Carnival

Beginning February 16th

Pray for Mardi Gras and Carnival (especially celebrated in Latin American countries). Carnival is a yearly “celebration of the flesh” before the 40 days of Lent. For many Catholics, Lent is a annual time of giving up fleshly things in preparation for Easter.

Mardi Gras and Carnival may look like a lot of fun — with feathered masks, colorful beaded necklaces, and elaborate parades; but it is a sinful celebration (to “party” before entering into a yearly “fast” to prepare for Holy Week).

• PRAYER FOCUS: God isn’t looking for an outward display of piety. He wants our whole heart. YWAM Mazatlan has some interesting information about specific Mardi Gras/Carnival mission outreaches and intercession-focus points for this holiday.

The world needs Jesus . . . all year long!

Let’s share God’s LOVE!!!

• “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:13).

• “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

FREE Guide: Have a MISSION-MINDED 2010

Do you want to set aside time to seek God’s will for 2010? Do you want your life and your family to become more effective for God’s Kingdom . . . and for ETERNITY?

FREE New Year’s Evaluation Guide

Take 7

Take 7 Days to Seek God’s Will for 2010

Click here to download our FREE “7″ Guide

An Evaluation & Prayer Guide to planning a MISSION-MINDED New Year

Especially designed for Christian Woman and Families

Also, here’s a good One-Year Bible Reading Plan from www.Bible-reading.com

NOW!!! - ALSO AVAILABLE:

2010 MISSION-MINDED GUIDE for Youth & Young Adults

Great for Homeschooling Families with Teenagers, College Adults,
Christian Jr. & Sr. High Schools, or Church Youth Groups

Click here for FREE “7″ Guide for YOUTH

Click here for more details about Ann’s book, The Mission-Minded Family - Releasing Your Family to God’s Destiny, including a link for a FREE Sample (and info about how you can get a copy)!!!

Releasing Your Family to God’s Destiny

Often, parents and teachers ask their children, “What do YOU want to be when you grow up?” Even within the church, this present generation is fixated on obtaining fame, wealth, and pleasure. But shouldn’t we be encouraging our children’s willingness to surrender to God’s plans for their futures?

In The Mission-Minded Family, Ann Dunagan presents a plan to transform the “Me Generation” into passionate warriors consumed with God’s glory.

The Mission-Minded Family

(Authentic, 2008) - By Ann Dunagan

Download a FREE SAMPLE!

BUY NOW (including discounts for BOXES of 12 or CASES of 48!!!)

What Others Are Saying:

GIVE YOUR FAMILY A DANGEROUS DESTINY! “I loved this book! In a time in our country where the tendency is to keep our money and time and children very safe, this book encourages - even pushes - us to get out in the world and make a real difference with the resources we’ve been given. Ann Dunagan is no arm-chair missionary…the pages of the book are filled with actual experiences that she and her husband and kids have done for many years. It totally inspired me to take some big risks and help my kids learn to love the world beyond our doorstep.” - Bo Stern - Bend, Oregon

EDUCATIONAL . . . AND THE COOLEST BOOK! - “The Mission Minded Family” by Ann Dunagan is the coolest book! It has everything: hymns, stories of missions, mini biographies of missionaries, skits, a calendar of international holidays and suggestions for how to pray on those days, tools for teaching mission-mindedness, and even practical tips for missionary travel. This is an educational and informative book whether you’re planning to be a foreign missionary, a local missionary, or just learn about the field.” - Stacey, Las Vegas, NV

ABSOLUTELY INSPIRING! - “In our busy lives, very seldom, do we stop to ask God if we’re truly fulfilling His purposes in our lives. “The Mission Minded Family” opens that line of communication between you and God to have a discussion about His will for your life…Don’t be surprised if you hear God speaking to you in greater ways than you ever imagined. If you are a church leader, I can’t imagine a better resource to promote to your congregation and a better gift to give to your missionary families. Ann Dunagan walks you through her and her husband’s lives as a missionaries and sprinkles it with wisdom coming from her young children who have experienced the power of God in and through their lives. The book is not only a resource that provides you with countless “how-to’s,” but it is filled with the Dunagan family’s missionary experiences that will inspire you and draw you nearer to God.”- CHERI HILL

---

Seeking First the Kingdom in a Self-Absorbed Culture

A Press Release - by The B & B Media Group

Often, parents and teachers ask their children, “What do YOU want to be when you grow up?” In a world that is increasingly self-seeking, self-centered, and self-absorbed, the answers are consistently more egocentric–”a movie star,” “a rock star,” “a dance star.” Even within the church, this present generation is fixated on obtaining fame, wealth, and pleasure. But shouldn’t we be encouraging our children’s willingness to surrender to God’s plans for their futures? Shouldn’t our question instead be, “Oh, I wonder what awesome plans God has for your life! When you grow up, will you do whatever GOD wants you to do?”

In her new book, The Mission-Minded Family: Releasing Your Family to God’s Destiny (Authentic, July 2008), author, teacher, and missionary, Ann Dunagan shows parents how to combat the influence of the “Me Generation” by giving readers the tools to revolutionize their families into ones dedicated to fulfilling God’s will and potential, instead of their own. In the first chapter of her book, Dunagan quotes David Shibley as he clearly addresses the current crisis within the church.

“We whine, ‘I just want to know my purpose; I’ve got to reach my destiny.” We race all over the country to attend ‘destiny conferences,’ and we devour tapes and books on ‘reaching your full potential . . . ‘ Even cloaking our self-centeredness in Christian garb and jargon cannot cover the nakedness of this cult of self that has infested much of the church . . . How can we ever hope to discover our purpose in the earth with little or no interest in His purpose?”

Dunagan, who also wrote The Mission-Minded Child, brings the same perspective to what it means to be a mission-minded family. Her goal is to equip today’s godly parents to train our next generation to make a powerful impact for Jesus Christ by directing their focus outward. “Every day, approximately 150,000 people die; the majority of these people are not saved, and far too many have never even heard God’s Good News of salvation,” says Dunagan. “How can we sit back and hear the Gospel again and again, while many are still waiting to hear it for the first time? [adapted from a mission quote by Oswald J. Smith]. Today’s Christian families desperately need to remember that our purpose in this world involves so much more than what we can attain for ourselves. We’re here to reach the lost.”

The Mission-Minded Family includes suggested activities for families to participate in missions together, as well as resources to help families develop the desire to become more missions-focused. Dunagan discusses the need for families to balance and prioritize their everyday lives and delves into what a family’s finances would look like if they were focused on missions. Families who read and practice principles from this book will receive a rekindled closeness as they participate in ministry together.

“In a mission-minded family, there’s a God-infused energy,” Dunagan explains. “There’s a focus on God’s worldwide purpose and a passion for the lost.” There’s a spiritual depth and hunger that reaches beyond the maintenance mode of cultural Christianity.”

Packed with motivating missions stories, hymns, and quotes, The Mission-Minded Family is a quick resource tool with examples of missionary family heroes, ministry ideas, exciting prayer projects, and even practical tips for international travel. Filled with passionate inspiration, The Mission-Minded Family will be picked up again and again, read aloud, and used as a reference for years to come.

You can also find The Mission-Minded Family at e316.com, ChristianBook.com, YWAM’s WorldChristian.com, Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, CBN’s Parable.com, and STL - Authentic Books

Hand Commands - Some Great Reviews!

A Great Homeschooling Review

We recently learned that Eclectic Homeschooling Online published a positive review about Hand Commands, Ann’s little book about teaching the Ten Commandments to children.

Hand Commands: The Ten Commandments for Little Ones

Publisher: Kregel Publications
Author: Ann Dunagan
Format: Board Book
Ages: Preschool/Kindergarten (and older!)

Review by Jean Hall of Eclectic Homeschooling:

Fingerplays are a wonderful way to teach little ones, and not-so-little ones! In fact, our whole homeschool science class (students from age eight to eighteen and their parents) recently used a fingerplay to memorize the five species of Pacific salmon!

Hand Commands is a charming board book that will help you teach your little ones something much more important: The Ten Commandments.

The book’s introduction is sweet, winsome, drawing the reader gently into the book, and the conclusion encourages storing up God’s Word in the heart. The Ten Commandments are quoted from Scripture on the last two pages. Both the New King James Version (for all but one of the commandments) and the New International Version (just for one of the commandments) are quoted.

The text is simple but not simplistic, illustrated with bright pictures that bring a smile. For each commandment, there’s a photograph (or two) of a child’s hands illustrating the meaning of the verse, an explanation of what the verse means, and the verse as quoted in Exodus 20. The hand motions are quick to learn and easy to remember. (When I think how I struggled to keep all the Commandments straight, myself—I always got the first four in the right order, but it was hard to keep the rest straight for the longest time—I wish I’d had this book a long time ago, for my own sake as well as our little ones’!)

I’ll never mix up the order again. (Can you say the same?)

More Reviews:

Customer Average Rating at ChristianBook.com:
5 out of 5 stars, (7 of 7 Reviews Showing):

5 out of 5 stars - Reviewed by Gretchen (Snoqualmie), October 25, 2008

We really enjoyed this book. Our whole family learned the 10 commandments in order this summer by reading this book at camp for 5 days. The kids from ages 4-12 can still tell you all the commandments and the older two can recite them out of order or while being questioned, “What’s the 5th commandment?” We have been able to witness to friends and family by sharing what the kids learned! What a blessing.

4.5 out of 5 stars - Reviewed by Stacy (Phoenix, AZ), January 20, 2008

Even though my kids are past board book age, we enjoyed using this book in our homeschool to learn the 10 commandments. We supplemented it with the CD, If You Love Me: Songs for the Ten Commandments, by Judy Rodgers.  We found the motion for the 8th commandment a little tricky — it requires motor and cognitive skills that kids of the recommended age (under 5) will find difficult. For the motion for the 10th commandment, we made a grabbing “give me” motion to accentuate the meaning of “You shall not covet.”

5 out of 5 stars - Reviewed by Elisabeth Dillon (Wichita, KS), October 19, 2007

We are using this book as a supplement to a curriculum for preschoolers and kindergartners on the Ten Commandments. All the children seem to really like the book, from ages 2 to 6. They are picking up the hand moves and having a fun time. One of the best unintended benefits is for the adults teaching and for the parents of the children. I have had numerous adults say that they have never memorized God’s commands and that this book is helping them! We have actually ordered numerous extras to sell to parents wishing to augment their learning and their children’s by having this book in their home. Highly recommended for ALL ages.

5 out of 5 stars - Reviewed by Ernest (Tulsa, Oklahoma), January 10, 2007

This tiny little book offers a whole lot more to “ALL” age groups. I am a 21 year old male, and learning the 10 commandments in order in a very simple way has been a joy to my heart. This book is easy to read, easy to follow, happy, and God-honoring, and its not just for kids, but adults as well!

5 out of 5 stars - Reviewed by Pam Hughes (White Salmon, WA), January 08, 2007

Sometimes wonderful, precious things come in small packages and this is exactly what you will find in “Hand Commands!.” Our church bought 75 books to put in “Operation Christmas Child” shoe boxes. We like having some for the children in our Nursery and Pre-school programs too! A great gift that children of all ages can treasure for eternity as they hide God’s Word in their heart!

5 out of 5 stars - Reviewed by Tiffany Westby (Aberdeen, SD), January 03, 2007

I love the book “Hand Commands”! We are a family of seven and each one of us who read the book ONCE was able to say the 10 commandments in order, using the hand motions! Did I mention that 4 of my 5 kids are teenagers and THEY think it’s neat? My pastor loves the book and we are going to use it for baby dedication gifts. You will be amazed at this little book.

5 out of 5 stars - Reviewed by Lorraine (The Dalles, OR), December 22, 2006

The bold colors and pictures of little children quickly caught the attention of my 21 month grandson Josiah. The ‘Hand Commands’ were very easy to follow and fun to learn. Josiah was able to imitate most of the commands, I know it won’t be long before he has them all down. These scriptures are so important to learn for our everyday lives they lay a foundation for our children to walk upon, and you have presented them in a way that children will not only learn from but enjoy reading over and over again. I’ve bought four copies for each of my grand children and my nephew.

To order Hand Commands, at Christianbook.com

Click Here!

Enjoying World Missions . . . in JANUARY

International Holiday Ideas
Throughout the year, acknowledging international holidays and using these days as focus-points for prayer, can give our families an insight into our world’s need for Jesus. These vibrant festivities are filled with colorful expression, yet often these traditions are rooted in false religion and fear.

Enjoying Missions throughout the Year
A great way to involve your family in world missions for 2010 - Excerpted from The Mission-Minded Family by Ann Dunagan, Authentic Publishing

Make a MISSION-MINDED CALENDAR:

As your family looks at current traditions around the world each month, you can utilize these specific days to target different people groups for prayer and to increase your family’s mission-minded vision. You may even want to commemorate some of these days. However, I am not encouraging your family to celebrate evil or pagan holidays. This international holiday list is simply to help your family learn about world cultures and to regularly remind you about the need for specific mission-minded prayer.

Get out your family calendar, and take a moment to write down the names of these holidays on their respective dates. Throughout the year, you can then come back to this section of The Mission-Minded Family to read about each holiday and pray accordingly.

January

1 – New Year’s Day, International – Around much of the world, this day is celebrated as a time of new beginnings. Many people make New Year’s “resolutions,” or promises, for the coming year. (We encourage you to see our FREE 15 page 2010 MISSION-MINDED “7″ Guide - for Women/Families & for Youth - with Evaluation & Prayer Questions.)

As mission-minded believers, pray for and seek God’s directions for the new year and take time to evaluate and realign your priorities.

6 – Epiphany, International – In many countries throughout the world, this day is celebrated to remember the wise men who came to bring gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the Christ child, Jesus. In Spain, children receive gifts on this day instead of Christmas. Children put hay in their shoes and find the hay replaced with treats the next morning.

Pray for the people of Spain to recognize Jesus Christ as Savior and Messiah, just as the wise men did.

14 – Pongal, India – In southern India, this day marks the beginning of a four-day harvest festival. The people gather to watch a pot of newly harvested rice boil. If it boils quickly, the people believe it is a sign of a prosperous new year.

Pray for a mighty spiritual harvest in India.

18 (2010 date) - Martin Luther King Day, United States – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, was a Christian minister and a civil rights leader. King was active in seeing segregation laws in the South abolished, and in 1964 he received the Nobel Peace Prize. He was assassinated in 1968. The third Monday of January is set aside as a national holiday to remember King’s leadership and the importance of civil rights.

Pray for harmony and love between different races and nationalities and for God to give you love and compassion for other people groups.

Check back each month, for more MISSION-MINDED HOLIDAY ideas for your family!

God’s Heart for Orphans

We appreciate all of our friends who help us to care for hundreds of precious children at Harvest Ministry’s two orphanages, Osanidde Village and Guma Na Yesu Children’s Center.

Recently, there was a wonderful Christmas celebration for the children, with special meals and gifts. It’s so exciting when God gives an idea to someone, and to be a part of the delivery. A Christian elementary school in the U.S. conducted a LEGO toy-drive, where kids donated baggies of LEGO’s, Christian women coordinated a large sewing project (making about 100 uniquely crafted jumper-dresses), and other child sponsors continue to send caring notes and small gifts. What a blessing!

God calls us to care for orphans…

• Learn to do good; Seek justice, reprove the ruthless, defend the orphan, plead for the widow. (Isaiah 1:17, NASB)
• Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1:27, NIV)
• When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not go over it again; it shall be for the alien, for the orphan, and for the widow. (Deuteronomy 24:21, NASB)

God’s justice will cover the orphans…

• Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan. I f you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. (Exodus 22:22-23, NIV)
• He executes justice for the or phan and the widow.(Deuteronomy 10:18a, NASB)
• Woe to those who…rob the poor of My people of their rights, so that widows may be their spoil and that they may plunder the orphans. (Isaiah 10:1a-2b, NASB)
• Do not mistreat or do violence to the stranger, the orphan, or the widow. (Jeremiah 22:3b, NASB)
• Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against…those who oppress…the widow and the orphan. (Malachi 3:5a, NASB)

The Bible says evil men take advantage of orphans…

• They drive away the orphan’s donkey and take the widow’s ox in pledge. (Job 24:3, NIV)
• They slay the widow and the stranger and murder the orphans. (Psalm 94:6, NASB)
• Others snatch the orphan from the breast, and against the poor they take a pledge. (Job 24:9, NASB)

God promises His love and protection for orphans…

• Leave your orphans; I will protect their lives. (Jeremiah 49:11a, NIV)
• I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. (John 14:18, NIV)
• You have been the helper of the orphan. (Psalm 10:14b, NASB)
• You will incline Your ear to vindicate the orphan and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth will no longer cause terror. (Psalm 10:17b-18, NASB)
• For in You the orphan finds mercy. (Hosea 14:2c, NASB)

God blesses those who are obedient to care for the needs of orphans…

• When you reap your harvest in your field and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be for the alien, for the orphan, and for the widow, in order that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. (Deuteronomy 24:19, NASB)
• For when the ear heard, it called me blessed, and when the eye saw, it gave witness of me, because I delivered the poor who cried for help, and the orphan who had no helper. The blessing of the one ready to perish came upon me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy. (Job 29:11-13, NASB)

These verses were compiled from the facebook group, “A Heart for Orphans.” Photos from Harvest Ministry’s Osanidde Village orphanage.

Next Page »